Somerville to become first Massachusetts community to issue an executive order limiting law enforcement’s voluntary cooperation with ICE detainers
When: Wednesday, May 21, 11 a.m.
Where: Somerville City Hall front entrance, 93 Highland Ave.
Press contact: Jackie Rossetti, jrossetti@somervillema.gov, 617-625-6600 ext. 2614
Who:
• Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone,
• Members of the Somerville Board of Aldermen,
• Acting Somerville Police Chief Charles Femino,
• Centro Presente Director Patricia Montes, and
Laura Rotolo of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts
Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone will officially announce Wednesday that he will sign an executive order through which the City of Somerville will join the national TRUST Act movement to no longer hold immigrants in jail for the sole purpose of deportation. The order, which is the first of its kind in the state, will implement on the city level the key changes promoted by the Massachusetts TRUST Act bill currently before the State legislature. With Mayor Curtatone’s executive order, only in cases where immigration agents have a criminal warrant, or Somerville officials have a legitimate law enforcement purpose not related to immigration, will Somerville Police comply with federal ICE detainer requests to hold persons solely for immigration purposes.
The executive order follows a federal judge’s ruling in April that it is a violation of constitutional rights to hold an individual for immigration authorities without probable cause. As a result of the ruling, cities and counties nationwide are beginning to revise their policies regarding compliance with the federal Secure Communities program.
A full press statement will be issued directly following Wednesday’s announcement.